Intel envisions a wireless future: WiGig and wireless charging to 'eliminate all cables by end of 2015'

Intel outlined its vision for a wire-free future at its Intel Developers Forum in San Francisco. But rather than this being a distant concept, the technology is just around the corner and, the company believes, will be in place by the end of 2015.

On stage, Kirk Skaugen, senior vice president and general manager PC client group said, "We carry around this rat's nest of cables; cables for docking; cables for display; cables for charging; for data transfer. Intel's vision is, by the end of next year, to give you a reference platform for PC to eliminate all cables, [including] wireless display - and all based on standards."

How does the company intend to achieve that? Two core technologies: wireless charging hotspots, made possible via magnetic resonance; and the proliferation of wireless gigabit (WiGig), a technology akin to super-fast Wi-Fi.

"Intel is on the board of the Alliance for Wireless Power (A4WP) and we have a vision for scalable wireless charging. That means when you walk into a coffee shop that, very soon, you'll be able to scale from wearable to a phone, to a tablet, to a PC and charge wirelessly."

A demonstration followed on stage, showing how a 2-in-1 device was able to sync with a separate monitor using WiGig without plugging anything in via cable, pressing any buttons and so forth.

"Wouldn't it be completely awesome if just seamlessly it [the 2-in-1] was automatically connected with all of my peripherals? Not just my wireless display, but storage, keyboard and mouse, and all of the other peripherals you have that are weighing down ours backpacks and a strewn across our desks. We're eliminating that with one technology: and that's wireless gigabit.

"Not only is it an amazingly secure and also localised connection - so you can use it in high density areas like an office - but also extremely fast and high performing at over three times the performance of today's Wi-Fi."

Second is wireless power, hotspots that, strictly speaking, will need a mains-located power source, but that will eliminate the fuss of plugging devices in ever again.

"There's one more cord that we have in our bags - and let's get rid of it. Ditch that brick. That last thing weighing us down is wired power."

We've seen such technology used before, with Microsoft Devices smartphones, such as the Lumia 930, already shipping with wireless charging peripherals. In the case of the Intel demo, a physical transmitter was installed under a desk, ensuring a neat and tidy, convenient solution.

The demonstration showed how even through two-inches of material, i.e. the desk, wireless charging was still possible well above desk height. Adding a Bluetooth earpiece and a couple of phones, complete with retro-fitted cases to get around the fact current devices won't have built-in compatibility just yet, showed just how easy it was to power multiple devices.

A convincing demonstration showing that the technology for a wireless world is already here. All we need to do is wait for it to be implemented in devices for an effective all-round solution. We for one will be pleased to no longer worry about that phone cable, SD card reader, monitor, mains power cable dand many more of that "rat's nest of cables" both in the office and when out and about.